Cooling/heating air conditioner and control circuit thereof

Abstract

An air conditioner includes a fan for forcing air through an air path. An endless belt filter travels through a water tank and across the air path to exchange heat with air passing through the belt filter. A heater is provided for selectively heating the water. A moisture collecting filter disposed in the air path downstream of the belt filter removes moisture from the air. Sensors detect the volume and temperature of the water in the tank for actuating either or both of the heater and a warning buzzer. A speaker is mounted in the air conditioner housing and is connectible to a radio. A switching circuit causes radio sound from the speaker to be muted and instead causes the speaker to emit the warning buzzer when the latter is activated by a sensor.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An air conditioner comprising: a housing forming an internal air path extending from an inlet to an outlet;   a fan for inducing an air flow through said air path from said inlet to said outlet;   a water-containing tank mounted at a lower side of said housing;   a heat exchange filter passing across said air path and arranged to be moistened with water from said tank so that air passing through said filter exchanges heat with the water in said filter; and   a moisture collecting filter disposed in said air path downstream of said second portion of said filter for removing moisture from the air after the air has passed through said filter.   
     
     
       2. An air conditioner according to claim 1 including heating means for adjusting the temperature of water in said tank. 
     
     
       3. An air conditioner according to claim 2 including a speaker mounted in said housing and being connectible to a radio, means for sensing a temperature of water in said tank, and audio-signal generating means connected to said speaker and being controlled by said sensing means for causing said speaker to emit an audio signal when the water temperature is different than a selected value. 
     
     
       4. An air conditioner according to claim 1 including a speaker mounted in said housing and connectible to a radio, means for sensing the volume of water in said tank, and audio-signal generating means connected to said speaker and being controlled by said sensing means for causing said speaker to emit an audio signal when the water volume in said tank is below a selected value. 
     
     
       5. An air conditioner according to claim 1 including guide plates forming said air path, one of said guide plates including a concavity in which a portion of said fan is disposed. 
     
     
       6. An air conditioner according to claim 5, wherein said concavity is disposed below said fan and includes a passage for returning water dripping off said fan back to said tank. 
     
     
       7. An air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein said heat exchange filter comprises a driven endless belt, said belt extending around support rollers some of which are mounted to one of said guide plates and others of which are mounted to another of said guide plates, said belt including a vertical section extending into said water tank and a horizontal portion extending across said air path. 
     
     
       8. An air conditioner according to claim 1 including first and second guide plates forming therebetween a vertical portion of said air path, an additional guide plate being disposed below said vertical portion of said air path and below a portion of said filter and being bent to divert air upwardly toward said filter and said vertical portion of said air path. 
     
     
       9. An air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein said heat exchange filter comprises a driven belt filter, said moisture collecting filter comprising a first actuator for said fan, a second actuator for said endless belt filter, a third actuator for said moisture collecting filter, and a control mechanism comprising operating means for by which a user selects a desired mode of operation, and a controller connected to said operating means and said first, second and third actuators for activating said first, second, and third actuators. 
     
     
       10. An air conditioner according to claim 9 including a heater for heating water in said tank, said controller being connected to said heater for energizing the latter. 
     
     
       11. An air conditioner according to claim 10 including sensing means for sensing the volume and temperature of water in said tank, said sensing means being connected to said controller, and audio-warning signal generating means connected to said controller for emitting an audio warning signal when one of water volume and water temperature varies from respective pre-set volume and temperature valves. 
     
     
       12. An air conditioner according to claim 11 including a speaker mounted in said housing and connectible to a radio, and switching means connected to said controller for muting radio sound from said speaker and instead emitting said audio warming signal when said audio warning signal generating means is activated by said sensing means. 
     
     
       13. An air conditioner according to claim 12, wherein said audio signal generating means is a buzzer. 
     
     
       14. An air conditioner according to claim 9, wherein said first drive means is operable to drive said fan at different selected speeds determined by actuation of air speed switch of said operating means.